Automobile safety device.



0. KARGHER. AUTOMOBILE SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION rmm MAY 25, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Wane/awn Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LVHMMM:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO KARCHER, OF CANTON, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed May 25, 1909. Serial N 0. 498,350.

' T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO KARcHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Automobile Safety. Device, of which thefollowing is a specification.

It is a well known fact that many accidents of serious nature are causedby the breaking of. the steering gear of automobiles. My inventionrelates to a device which is intended, when such break ofthe steeringgear occurs, and when the front wheels are thereby permitted to taketheir own.' course or swerve to the side, to shut off the power, toapply the emergency brake and to hold the said front wheels in theposition in which they were at the time when the break occurred.

The object of my invention is to prevent the accidents above mentionedby equipping automobiles with a device which is simple in construction,positive in operation and comparatively easily made, while at the sametime being adapted to fully accomplish its purposes. I attain thisobject by the construction illustrated in the accompanying,

drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of the chassis of anautomobile provided with a safety device in 4 accordance with myinvention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryelevation illustrating one of the front wheels from the inner side andthe steering post and, connections, said View being taken on 1 the line22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View, partly in vertical sectionof the outer side of the steering post and its connections. Fig. 4 aperspective View from the inner side, illustrating. one ofthe ends ofthefront axle and the clutch plate support and connections. Fig.5 is anenlarged sectional view'through a portion of one of the safety clutches.Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the emergency-lever.

Throughout the several views similar numerals of reference indicatesimilar parts.

The numeral 1 indicates the front axle and the numeral 2 the rear axleof the automobile. Mounted upon said axles in any suita ble mechanicalmanner is the frame 3 which is adapted to support the body of theautomobile (not shown) and also other portions of the device ashereinafter described. Upon the rear axle 2 are mounted the rear ordriving wheels 4 in any suitable manner and vide such a brake as may beoperated by the forward movement of a lever, as for instance by theforward movement of the levers 7 above mentioned.

The gasolene engine 8 or its equivalent may be of any suitableconstruction and said engine together with its connection with the rearaxle is shown conventionally in dotted lines. In case a gasolene engineis employed some form of electric energy, as the battery 9, as well asthe coil 10 should be employed and the conductors 11 should be providedto form the appropriate circuit through the engine. \Vithin the circuitis arranged a switch comprising a stationary point 12 and a movablepoint 13 mounted upon the lever 14.. The said lever 14 is pivoted at thepoint 15 to a suitable support and the spring 16 is :provided for thepurpose of normally holding the points 12 and 13 in contact to close thecircuit. ,The lever 14; is provided with the rightangled arm 17 whichmay be drawn forward, against the tension of the spring 16, for thepurpose of rocking the lever 14 and separating the points 12 and 13.When Ithe points 12 and 13 are thus separated it will be understood thatthe circuit will be opened, thus stopping the operationof the engine.

Upon ehch end of the front axle 1 is ar- 7 ranged a yoke 18 in which ispivotally mounted the knuckle 19 to which is connected the .spindle 20upon which the hub 21. of one of the front wheels is rotatably mounted.The details of construction of the said yoke. knuckle and spindle may besomewhat varied from that shown in the drawings, the construction shownhowever-being a desirable form. To each knuckle 19 is connected aforwardly extending arm 22. and the'counecting rod 23 is pivotallyconnectedto the forward ends of the said arms, whereby the two knucklesare caused to make pivotal ranged, which plate is provided with ananmovementin a simultaneous and harmonious manner, as well understood inthe art. To one of the knuckles 19 is also connected the arm 24 to whichis pivotall connected the rearwardly extending steerlng rod 25, thefurther connections of which rod will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

Pivotally mounted on pivotal connections in the axes of the pivotalconnections between the yokes 18 and the knuckles 19 are the clutchplate supports 26 which consist of circular disks provided with smoothperipheral bearing edges 27 An arm 28 is preferably formed integrallywith the support 26-upon the same side of the device as that upon whichthe arm 24 is arranged, extends inwardly, and is pivotally connected at29 to the locking slide 30, hereinafter to be more fully described. Thearms 31 are also connected to the supports 26 extend rearwardly, and arepivoted at the points 32 to the connecting rod 33. The said connectinrod 33 is thus adapted to cause the simultaneous and harmonious pivotalmovement of the two supports 26 in practically the same manner as therod 23 accomplishes a similar result with respect to the knuckles 19.

Mounted upon each clutch plate support 26 is the ring 34 which isadapted to slide annularly along the bearing edge 27. The annularretainin plate 35 is arranged upon the inner side 0 the ring 34 andextends a short distance over the inner side of the support 26. Upon theouter side of the ring 34 the annular clutch plate 36 is ary disposedgroove 37. Arranged upon the outer side of the clutch plate, and nearthe peripheral edge of said plate is the clutch housing 38, which isprovided with an integral annular flange 39 extending toward the spindle20 and adapted to engage a portion of the clutch and guide ring, ashereinafter more fully described. The housing 38, plate 36, ring 34, andplate 35 are connected together in any suitable mechanical manner, as bythe screws 40. It will thus be understood that all of the parts justmentioned will constitute what may be termed an inner clutch member, thesaid structure being adapted for annular sliding movement around thesupport 26 and havnular, outwar ing its position at all times determinedby the position of the said support.

Upon the inner side of each of the front wheels is arranged a clutch andguide ring 41, the said ring may be connected to the wheel in anysuitable manner. In the construction illustrated in the drawings I haveshown notches 42 to receive the spokes of the wheel, and a plate 43connected to the said ring by means of screws 44 or their equivalentsfor the purpose of clamping the said ring to the said spokes. Each ringis provided with an inwardly extending annular rib 45 having its sidesdis osed at angles corresponding to the annu ar position of the sides ofthe groove 37, the said rib 45 being adapted to enter the said groove inthe operation of the device, the engaging surfaces of said rib and saidgroove being adapted to form a friction clutch. Besides the rib 45 eachof the rings 41 is provided with an annular guideway or ledge 46 ar--ranged upon the inner side of the flange 39 and adapted to engage saidflange in the operation of the device, as hereinafter more fullydescribed.

Upon the inner side of each retaining plate 35 and at a point on saidplate normally lying rearwardly is an eye 47. Connected -to each of thesaid eyes are two cables 48 and 49. The cables 48 extend to the rear ofthe automobile where they are connected to the levers 7, which levers,as

hereinbefore mentioned, operate the band brakes 5 on the rear'wheels.The cables-49 are connected to the right angled arm 17 and are adaptedto draw said arm forward to throw the points 12 and 13 out of contact ashereinbefore described.

Connected to the front axle lis the curved guide 50, which extendsforwardly, downwardly and thence rearwardly under the said axle, thesaid guide being curved, with a radius equal to the distance from saidguide to the pivotal connection of the support 26 to the yoke 18. Thisarrangement is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The locking slide 30' isprovided with an aperture through which the guide 50 extends, the slidebeing slidably mounted upon said guide. As hereinbefore described theslide 30 is ivotally connected to the arm 28 at the point 29. The saidpoint 29 is some distance to the side of the guide 50, and it will beunderstood that if the arm 28 is moved forwardly or rearwardly by thepivotal movement of the plate 26 the slide 30 will be thrown askew withreference to the guide 50, thereby locking the said slide 'upon the saidguide and reventing any sliding movement of the sli e 30 thereon.

At the rear end of the steering rod 25 the said rod is pivotallyconnected to' the lower end of the lever 51. Saidlever is fixedlymounted upon the rotatable shaft '52 to which is fixedly connected thegear 53. The steering post 54 is fixedly mounted upon the frame 3 and isprovided with the internal rotatable steering shaft 55 upon which thesteering wheel 56 is fixedly mounted. Upon the lower end of the steeringshaft 55 is arranged the worm gear 57 meshing with the gear 53. It willbe apparent that the rotation of the steering shaft 55 in itself orthrough its immediate connections just described will not operate tomove the support 26 and parts thereon mounted upon the pivotalconnection of said support to the yoke 18.

For the purpose of sliding the locking slide 30 along the curved guide50 and giving the supports 26 pivotal movement in harmony with thepivotal movement of the knuckles 19, spindles 20 and front wheels, theconnecting rod 58 is pivotally attached to the slide 30 by the screw 59or its equivalent, the other end of said rod 58 being ivotally connectedto the lower end of the ever 60. Said lever is fixedly connected at itsupper end to the rotatable shaft 61 upon which shaft is "fixedlymountedthe gear 62 which gear meshes with the worm gear 63 upon the shaft 64.The shaft 64 is arranged parallel with the steering shaft and isprovided at the upper end with the gear .65 normally meshing with thegear 66 on the steering shaft 55. Immediately below the gear 65 thecollar 67 is fixedly mounted upon the shaft 64, in which collar is theannular groove 68, for the purpose hereinafter described. The'shaft 64is rotatably mounted in the bearings 69 and 70. Coiled about the shaft64 intermediate the collar 67 and the bearing 69 is the coiled spring71, said spring being adapted to normally maintain t e shaft 64 in itsuppermost position illustrated in Fig. 2, in which position the gears 65and 66 are in mesh.

The emergency lever is provided with the spaced forks 7 2 pivotedto thesteering post at the point 73 .and provided with the inwardly extendinglugs 74 adapted to be arranged within the groove 68. The handle ortion75 normally assumes the position lllustrated in Fig. 2, but maybegrasped and raised into the position illustrated in Fig. 3. When thehandle is'so raised the shaft 64 will be moved downwardly, pushingdownwardly upon the worm gear 63 and rotating the gear 62. It will beobvious that the gear 62 may thus be rotated in either of two ways,either by the rotating of the shaft 55 when the gears and 66 are inmesh, or by raising the handle 7 5 against the tension of the spring-71. It should be understood that as thegear 62 is rotated the lever 60will be operated to move the connecting rod 65 58 backwardly orforwardly, thus sliding the locking slide 30 along the guide 50.

It should be understood that the parts of the safety clutches inconnection with the front wheels should be so arranged that as the wheelrevolves in the running of the automobile the surfaces of the ribs 45will revolve very closely adjacent to the walls of the grooves 37. Itshould also be noted that the flanges 39 should lie quite closelyadjacent the ledges 46. In the drawings the spaces between the partsjust mentioned are exaggerated to more fully disclose the constructionand operation of the device but it will be understood that onlysufficient space to permit the wheels to freely revolve. should beprovided.

An automobile safety device of the character described having beenprovided the operation of the same is as follows. parts being in theposition illustrated in Fig. 2. when the steering wheel 56 is rotated,the shaft 55 will be rotated. and such rotation will be transmittedthrough the gears 66 and 65 to the shaft 64. The shafts and 64 will thusdrawing backward upon the arm 24 and moving the knuckles 19 upon theirpivotal points, thus moving the front wheels simultaneously andharmoniously. At the same time that the lever 51 is drawn backward thelever 60 will be drawn backward, thus drawing backward upon theconnecting rod 58 and sliding the locking slide 30 backward upon theguide 50, thus moving the clutch\ plate supports 26 upon their pivotalpoints and thus maintaining the portion of the safety clutches mountedupon said supports in a parallel relation with their respective frontwheels. If the steering wheel '56 is rotated in the opposite directionfrom that just mentioned the front wheels and the supports 2.6 will bepivotally moved in the opposite direction. So long as the gears 65 and66 are in mesh, therefore, the front wheels and the supports 26 will bemoved simultaneously and harmoniously without permitting the ribs 45 toenter the grooves 37, or in other words without operatlng the safetyclutches.

Let it be supposed that some portion of the steering gear controllingthe front wheels is accidentally broken while the automobile is movingforwardly. The front wheels in such case, freed from control, begin toswerve to one side or the other, but the portion of the devicecontrolling the position of the sup ports 26 being unbrpken, saidsupports will be firmly held in the position in which said supports were-at the time when the break The 85 occurred. As the front wheels swervethe ribs 45 will move with reference to the clutch plate 36, and thesaid ribs willenter the grooves 37, thus frictionally clutching theplate 36. The wheels upon which the ribs are mounted being in motion,the inner clutch member, consisting of the plate 35, ring 34, plate 36and housing 38 will be instantly rotated or caused to slide annularlyaround the clutch plate supports 26. Such movement on the part of theinner clutch member will move the eyes 47 forward,

drawing forward uponthe cables 48 and 49.

and thus operating the brakes 5 and shuttin off the power by moving thepoint 13 out of contact with the point 12.

It should be noted that not only will the revolving wheels thus operateto shut off the power and" apply the brakes and thus check and stop theforward movement of the auto mobile, but the front wheels will not bepermitted to swerve sidewise a sufficient dis tance to cause accident.A. certain side or swerving movement of the front wheels is permitted inorder to bring the ribs 45 into engagement with the clutch plate, butthe flanges 39, lying closely adjacent the ledges 46 will aid inpreventing any undue swerving movement of the wheels and thus keep theautomobile in the course in which it was directed at the instant whenthe break occurred. It will be understood that under the circumstancesof a break such as herein just described the front wheels have atendency to swerve to the side with considerable force. For the purposeof locking the supports 26 in position and preventing the locking slide30 from moving along the guide 50 except at the will of the operator,the pivotal connection at 29, hereinbefore described, is provided. Whenthe front wheels tend to swerve and the ledges 46 are brought intoengagement with the flanges 39 the supports 26 will tend to move upontheir pivotal connections to the yokes 18, but the arm 28 being drawnbackward or forward as the case may be will operate upon the pivotalconnection at 29 so as to throw the locking slide 30 askew withreference to the guide 50, thus frictionally looking the slide 30 inposition upon said guide. In this manner the supports 26 will bemaintained in proper position in case of accident without dependenceupon any portion of the device except the arm 28, the locking slide 30and the guide 50.

It will be understood that in some instances it may be. desirable, incase of emergency, to operate the safety clutches although the steeringgear be not broken. In such cases the operator may grasp the handle 75and lift it into the position illustrated in Fig. This will throw thegear and 66 out of mesh and will push downward upon the worm gear 63,thus moving the lever 60 forward without moving the lever 51. Thisforward movement of the lever 60 will push forward upon the lockingslide' 30, thus throwing the supports 26 out of their normal positionswith reference to their respective wheels and throwing the clutch plates36 into engagement with the ribs 45. The ribs 45 will thereuponfrictionally engage the sides ofthe rooves 37 and operate the innerclutchmem ers in substantially the same manner as in the case of thebreaking of the steering gear just above described. In this manner thebrakes 5 may be operated and the points 12 and 13 thrown out of contactat the will of the operator. It should be noted that the engagement ofthe ribs 45 with the plates 36 is not in the nature of a positive clutchbut is a frictional engagement such that sufficient power is transmittedto the inner clutch members to properly draw upon the cables 48 and 49but permitting the ribs 45 to slip within the grooves 37 when the saidcables have been drawn taut, thus permitting the front wheels to furtherrevolve for a short space while the automobile is brought to a stop. Itshould also be noted that in the normal operation of the automobile thecables 48 and 49 should be sufliciently slack to permit the properpivotal movement of the front wheels and safety clutches for thesteering of the automobile. For this reason the cables may be moreconveniently and successively used than rods although I do not desire tolimit my invention to the use of cables.

I claim:

l. Anautomobile safety device comprising, rear wheels provided withbrakes, driving means for said rear wheels, means for discontinuing theoperation of said driving means, adjustable front wheels, means forcontrolling the adjustment of said front wheels, a safety clutchprovided with operative connections with said brakes and with said meansfor discontinuing the operation. of said driving means, said safetyclutch being adapted to be operated by said front wheels when saidwheels are not controlled by said controlling means.

2. An automobile safety device comprising in combination with the frontand rear wheels of an automobile and means for driving said rear wheels,means for discontinuing the operation of said driving -means, brakesarranged upon said rear wheels, outer clutch members arranged unon saidfront wheels, inner clutch members arranged adjacent said outer clutchmembers, said front wheelsadapted for pivotal movement for the purposeof steering, said inner clutch members adapted for pivotal movement forthe purpose of maintaining a parallel relation between said outer clutchmembers and said inner clutch members, said inner clutch membersoperatively connected to said brakes on the rear wheels and to the meansadapted to discontinue the (iperation of the driving means, and meansadapted to normally maintain said inner clutch members out .ofengagement with said outer clutch members by causing the simultaneouspivotal movement of said. front wheels and said inner clutch members.

3}. An automobile safety device comprising front and rear wheels, meansfor driving said rear wheels, means for discontinuing the operation ofsaid dI'lVlII means, brakes adapted to'brake said rear wheels, saidfront wheels adapted for adjustment for the purpose of steering,controlling means connected to said front wheels for the purpose ofadjusting the same, safety clutch members normally adapted to bemaintained in a position parallel to thefront wheels, clutch membersconnected to said front wheels, said clutch members adapted to engagesaid safetyclutch members by the .ungoverned swerving of said frontwheels when the controlling means thereof is inoperative, and meansoperated by said safety clutch members for operating the means todiscontinue the operation of the driving means and for applying saidbrakes.

4. In a device of the character described driving wheels, guidin Wheels,means for bra-king said driving W eels, steering means for controllingsaid guiding wheels, safety clutches operatively connected to-saidbraking means, said safety clutches adapted to be operated by saidguiding wheels when permitted to come into contact therewith, and meansoperated by said steering means for the purpose of normally maintainingsaid. safety clutches out of engagement with said guiding wheels.

In a device of the character described guiding wheels, driving wheels,operative driving means for driving said driving wheels, shut-off meansfor discontinuing the operation of said driving means, safety clutches,operative connection between said safety clutches and said shut-offmeans, and said safety clutches adapted to be operated by said guidingwheels.

(S. In a device of the character described a front axle provided with ayoke, a knuckle pivotally connected to said yoke, a spindle' connectedto said knuckle, a wheel provided with a hub mounted upon said spindle,means connected to said knuckle for controlling the pivotal movementthereof, a clutch plate support pivotally connected to said yoke, saidclutch plate support provided with means for controlling its pivotalmovement, an inner clutch member mounted upon said clutch plate support,an outer clutch member mounted upon said wheel, means for normallycausing the simultaneous and harmonious pivotal movement of said knuckleand said clutch plate support, and the clutch members adapted forengagement with each other when their pivotal movements are notsimultaneous and harmonious.

ft". In a device of the character described, an axle,'a clutch latesupport pivotally connected to said ax e, an arm connected to saidclutch plate support, a guide connected to said axle, a locking slideadapted for sliding movement along said guide, and the said armpivotally connected to said locking slide.

8. In a device of the character described, an axle, a clutch platesupport pivotally connected to said axle, an arm connected to saidclutch plate support, a guide, a locking slide adapted for s idingmovement along said guide, said arm pivotally connected to sald lockingslide, and a connecting rod pivotally connected to said locking slidefor moving said slide along said guide.

9. In a device of the character descrlbed,

in combination, a pivoted guiding wheel, a

pivoted inner clutch member, steering means for controlling said guidingwheel, means operatively connected to said steering means forsimultaneously'and harmoniously operating said inner clutch member, andmeans for disconnecting said steering means from .said inner clutchmember operating means substantially as described.

10. In a device of the character described,

ing means for normally controlling the piv-' otal adjustment of saidguiding wheel, means operated by said steering means for normallycontrolling the pivotalad ustment of said member, said member and saidguiding wheel normally prevented from engagement with each other, andlocking means for locking said member in fixed ivotal adjustment whensaid guiding wheel is not controlled 1n its pivotal adjustment by saidsteering means.

12. In a device of the character described an axle, a pivotallyadjustable guiding wheel connected to said axle, a pivotally ad ustablemember arranged adjacent said wheel, means for normally limiting thepivotal movement of said guiding wheel, means for normally limiting thepivotal movement of said adjustable member, and means for locking saidadjustable member in fixed position have hereunto subscribed my name inthe when said guiding vigheel is not liniitiald in its presence of twowitnesses. ivotal movement y its norma 'miting iileans, said memberadapted, when in its QTTO KARLHLR 5 locked positiomto engage said wheelto control its pivotal adjustment.

In testimony that I claim the above, I

Witnesses SYLVIA BORON, WILLIAM H. MILLER.

